2014-01 Same place - a new year....and the first ever Florida Keys Celtic Festival

We had friends volunteer for the Celtic Festival and get free admission - next time we'll definitely do that. It was really terrific with several outstanding Celtic bands, including Gary's favorite Celtic Rock band, Rathkeltair, and my favorite, a Scottish tribal drumming band Albannach. When these guys (and girl) get going, they are awesome...like "Stomp" with a bagpipe thrown in. My brother would say they definitely should throw in the bagpipe and then stomp on it until it dies, but I actually enjoy the bagpipe! Seeing 200 bagpipers at the Orange County Scottish Festival, all playing Amazing Grace, was a powerful and memorable experience which struck an emotional chord with me (perhaps it is my scottish blood?)...and I have enjoyed many Celtic festivals since. Very happy to have attended the very first in the Florida Keys, and the first US Celtic festival of 2014, kicking off the 2014 season.



Sheep herding demonstration - these dogs are amazing

a pretty sunset over the festival area



Albannach Scottish tribal drumming band

My regular walking route on the Florida Overseas Heritage Trail takes me 6 miles from Jolly Roger to the Island Fish Company (or back the other way), passing through Curry Hammock State Park where I would sometimes walk their 1.5 mile Nature Trail, sometimes called the Rockland Trail. Gotta watch where you're walking, lots of fossilized coral to trip over, but with a lovely view over Florida Bay and very interesting informational boards along the way.

I never knew dragonflies live only a month. Their early life is several years as an "Ant Lion", used as a model for Star Trek's creepy "go into your ear, eat into your brain, and make you spill all your secrets" bug.



Coral on the rockland trail



Lots of sea grass at the public boat ramp next to Island Fish Co.



 One day at Curry Hammock State Park, we saw this scooter we had seen on local Miami news channels - a homeless man carrying 4 cats and 2 dogs in carriers on his moped!